


The sins of the father stain the son

by Vita_Umbrarum



Series: The marks upon our skin [5]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Happy Ending, Henry Laurens' A+ Parenting, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Multi, Soulmate-Identifying Marks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2020-07-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 00:53:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25584727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vita_Umbrarum/pseuds/Vita_Umbrarum
Summary: John Laurens has had a hard life and there is no ink telling him he'll be loved. Perhaps it's time to stop lying.
Relationships: Alexander Hamilton/John Laurens/Gilbert du Motier Marquis de Lafayette/Hercules Mulligan
Series: The marks upon our skin [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1852993
Comments: 5
Kudos: 63





	The sins of the father stain the son

**Author's Note:**

> Just a heads-up, there is a description of wounds and scars in this fic. It's nothing graphic but i still want to say it. Hopefully you'll enjoy this last fic in the series!  
> This fic is also a bit longer than the others so i hope you guys dont mind that too much

It’s the saturday before spring break ends. Alex, Laff and Herc had returned from their visit to the Washingtons around midday and decided to have a movie marathon. It’s 2 AM and they can be as loud as they want since Laurens said he’d return sunday evening. Alex and Laff are arguing about what movie they’ll watch next while Herc watches them.

The door slams open and John Laurens appears. the boy doesn’t seem to notice them as he drops a backpack at his feet and leans back against the door, eyes closed. Alex, Laff and Herc share a look.

‘’Laurens? What are you doing here?’’

Laurens eyes fly open and he stares at them. Pure, unadulterated fear fills them and it’s the most emotion they’ve ever seen in those green eyes. Laff switches the lights on and they all have to blink against the sudden harsh lights. In the now lit up room they can see the dark bruises on the right side of his face and the small cut on his eyebrow that must be dripping blood into his eyes. Again Laurens blinks and Laff realizes he’s panting and now he knows something must be wrong since he’s Laurens sprint across campus without even breaking a sweat.

Alex moves from his seat on the couch and Laurens flinches violently, the back of his head hitting the door. They all stare at him and then Laurens is wrenching the door back open and running out, his backpack forgotten. Herc swears.

‘’We have to go after him’’

Within a second the three of them are up and running after Laurens, none of them take the time to put on shoes. Again Laff is reminded of how fast Laurens is because by the time they’re in the hallway he sees the other disappear down the staircase. Downstairs they see the door that leads out of the dorms close and they follow quickly.They find Laurens in front of one of the lecture halls.

‘’Laurens?’’

Alexander calls out and Laurens turns, staring at them with glassy eyes. The boy’s eyes roll back and Herc shoots forward, catching him before his head hits the ground. It’s at that moment they realize how cold it is outside, strangely enough Laurens only seems to be wearing a hoodie. The expensive jacket he left with earlier that week is nowhere to be seen. The three of them share a look and Herc shifts the unconscious Laurens in his arms so he can carry him back to the dormroom. Laurens is rather light so it’s no problem to carry him up the stairs but still Herc is happy when Alex shoves all of their stuff off the couch so he can lay the boy down.

‘’What do we do now?’’

It’s a good question, and for once Alex has no ideas. Luckily they don’t need to think of an answer since Laurens stirs on the couch and opens his eyes. With a small groan the boy sits up.

\--

His head hurts like hell.What the fuck happened?

‘’We were going to ask you that’’

He flinches into the couch he’s sitting on and stares straight at Hamilton. How did he get here? Why is he on a couch? Is he talking out loud?

‘’Herc carried you inside, it was the best option to lay you down and yes. Now, explain, what happened to your face?’’

Lafayette appears on his left with an ice pack that he hands to John. He doesn’t know why they’re being nice to him but at this point he’ll take any kindness he can get. He accepts the ice pack and presses it against his face. His brain is trying to create a believable lie but he’s tired and confused and his head hurts.

‘’I, tripped, down the stairs’’

‘’Right, and that’s why you ran outside, and passed out in the middle of campus’’

Shit. This is a problem. This is a problem and his father is going to kill him and he feels his act crumble around him. He’s shaking and he’s terrified and-

‘’Hey, hey Laurens calm down. Whoever gave you that bruise can’t get you here. Now just breathe and then tell the truth’’

He gasps, taking in maybe a mouthful of air and immediately lets out a sob. _‘’Men don’t cry John’’_ shoots through his head but god dammit he’s practically still a child and he doesn’t want to be a man right now.

‘’I don’t know how’’

He chokes out and he knows his voice is shaking and weak in a way he can’t afford to be but he doesn’t care anymore. He tired and hurt and he doesn’t want to lie anymore and he doesn’t want to go back.

‘’Do, do you guys have a first-aid kit?’’

He doesn’t know how to tell the truth so instead he changes the subject. He knows this topic will create more questions but those will be easier to answer so he does it anyway. He gets a confused stare from Mulligan but the other disappears to their shared bathroom and returns with a first-aid kit anyway.

‘’I, need help?’’

He doesn’t know why it comes out as a question. He struggles with his hoodie for a moment, the movement pulling at the wounds on his back. He can feel something wet drip down his back and realizes he must have reopened one during his dash from a few minutes ago. With more difficulty he pulls off his long sleeved shirt and he hears one of them gasp.

He knows why, there’s bruising all over his right side and in between the black, blue and purple and scattered over his arms are small perfectly circular burns. He sighs and shakes his head, this wasn’t the problem, well it was but not the biggest one. He shifts on the couch so his back is facing them and one of the curses. He tenses for a moment because cursing means fists and bruises and-

No. He’s not there. He’s safe. He’s safe here.

‘’What the fuck Laurens?’’

‘’Please, just, help? I can’t, I can’t reach all of them and I’’

He can’t form any proper sentences anymore. He’s tired, and hurt, and terrified.

‘’Okay, hold still’’

They’re helping him, he doesn’t understand but that doesn’t matter because they’re helping him.

\--

Laurens’ back is a mess. They clean away the blood and Alex realizes it’s lashes that cover the boy’s back. He stares at them until Laff tugs at his sleeve and points to a large burn on Laurens’ left shoulder blade. He blinks at it, looking closer he can spot black ink under the burn. On the other shoulder there is another burn, again an imperfect one, black ink escaping the ruined skin. Lower, closer to Laurens’ spine a smaller burn is located, it’s just big enough to cover a mark the size of Herc’s needle. A fourth burn covers the entirety of his lower back, partly disappearing into the waistband of the boy’s trousers

‘’Laurens?’’

The only reaction they get is a non-committal humm.

‘’You said you had no marks’’

The watch the boy tense and take a small breath before he replies.

‘’I don’t’’

‘’Then what the fuck is this’’

Alex points to the burns although he knows Laurens can’t see what he’s pointing at.

‘’Nothing’’

‘’There’s ink beneath those burns Laurens. Soulmark ink.’’

Suddenly Laurens is on his feet again right in front of Alex and there’s so much emotion in those green eyes.

‘’I. Don’t. Have. Soulmates.’’

Laurens growls but it ends in a sob and he wavers. Alex grabs his forearms to steady the boy. Herc and Laff share a look behind Laurens’ back.

‘’Laurens’’

‘’Stop. Don’t, just don’t. I don’t have marks and I don’t have soulmates.’’

‘’Is your dad truly that much of a dick?’’

Now Laurens is staring at Laff and they can all see something break in the boy’s eyes. He lets out a half-amused snort and shrugs.

‘’What gave it away? The bruises, the scars, the burns, his politics?’’

‘’I’m sorry’’

Laurens simply shakes his head.

‘’It’s fine, really. He, he kicked me out today. I’ll probably have to move out by next week since he was paying for this all so I’ll be out of your hair.’’

‘’No’’

Laurens stares at him, confusion obvious on his face. Behind the boy Laff and Herc are grinning at him.

‘’We’re calling Washington, after all, he has a knack for taking in strays.’’

\---

The four of them buy a bigger bed where they all fit on. Laff and Herc wake up Alex and John when their nightmares appear. Laff makes crêpes in the morning. John gets a job and keeps buying strawberries. He never fails a single class ever again.

George and Martha practically adopt John the moment he shows up at their doorstep. John’s oldest siblings, Martha and Henry Jr. move in with their marks and James and Mary go to live with the Washingtons until they’re old enough to move out. His siblings were never in danger of his father's fists but he doesn't want them growing up with that man.

Alex, Laff and Herc learn of John’s quick wit and sarcasm. They learn of his fascination of turtles and they push him to take a biology and an art class for fun.

The doctors at the hospital tell them there’s no way to remove the scar tissue without at least partly removing or ruining the marks so John leaves them there. They’re proof of what he lived through and how his father has ruined a lot but not everything. He gets the marks tattooed on his chest in an act of defiance. He makes the news and tells the world exactly who Henry Laurens is. It destroys his father’s career and no victory has ever been sweeter.

John Laurens has lived and is loved and he loves and his body bears the proof. The compass has guided him home. The needle stitched him back together. The quill wrote words anytime he couldn’t get himself to speak. The broken chain is a testament to his freedom.

John Laurens never lies again. Well, except when George and Martha question where the last icecream went, but those aren’t really lies because they can read his eyes, which are full of emotion. His tongue is made of silver but his eyes give him away everytime.

John Laurens learns to love himself.

**Author's Note:**

> While writing this I was listening to the soundtrack and Laurens interlude came on suddenly and I cried.


End file.
